Flat panel display device

ABSTRACT

A flat panel display device is disclosed that may include a light-emitting layer portion including a first electrode, a second electrode, and an organic light-emitting layer between the first and second electrodes; at least two thin film transistors for controlling the light-emitting layer portion; a scanning signal line for supplying a scanning signal to the thin film transistor; a data signal line for supplying a data signal to the thin film transistor; a light emitting region having a common power supply line for supplying current to the light-emitting layer portion; and a peripheral common power supply line having at least one curved portion and connected to the common power supply line on a panel of a non-light emitting region except the light emitting region, wherein the common power supply line has a reduced wiring width while maintaining a constant wiring resistance to thereby reduce the total size of the display panel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2003-85233, filed Nov. 27, 2003, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a flat panel display device and, more particularly, to a flat panel display device in which both the wiring width of a common power supply line and the panel size may be reduced by allowing the common power supply line (Vdd line) to be constantly curved.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 1A is a schematic plan view of light emitting region and non-light emitting region of an organic electroluminescent (EL) device, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I of FIG. 1A for showing a stacked structure of the common power supply line of the organic EL device.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the organic EL device comprises a light emitting region 100 and a non-light emitting region 200, and the non-light emitting region is positioned in a periphery of a panel. A common power supply line 54 is arranged in the non-light emitting region of the periphery of the panel to supply a common voltage to the light emitting region.

As shown in FIG. 1B, a buffer layer 15 formed on a substrate 10, a gate insulating layer 30 formed on the buffer layer 15, and an interlayer insulating layer 40 may be sequentially stacked to thereby form a common power supply line 54 in the non-light emitting region 200 of the periphery of the panel with the same material as source/drain electrode on the interlayer insulating layer 40.

In the related art, a signal line such as a gate line is not formed below the common power supply line in order to prevent an electrical short. Thus the common power supply line is fabricated with a width of about 1.5 mm so as to maintain constant wiring resistance. Consequently the total size of the panel increases.

Furthermore, in the conventional organic EL device, the size of the panel increases due to wiring width of the common power supply line arranged in the light emitting region as well as that of the common power supply line in the periphery of the panel.

FIG. 2A is a plan view for showing a plan structure of the light emitting region of the organic EL device of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 2A.

As shown in FIG. 2B, A region where a pixel electrode and a driving thin film transistor are formed on a transparent insulating substrate 10, B region where a common power supply line is wired, and C region where a capacitor is formed are provided.

A buffer layer 15 is formed on the insulating substrate 10, and a driving thin film transistor including a semiconductor layer 20 having source/drain regions 21 and 22, a gate electrode 31, and source/drain electrodes 51 and 52 connected to the source/drain regions 21 and 22 through contact holes 41 and 42, is formed in a region above the buffer layer 15 in the A region, and a capacitor comprised of a first electrode 32 and a second electrode 53 is formed in the C region.

A gate insulating layer 30 is formed between the semiconductor layer 20, and a gate electrode 31 and a first electrode 32. An interlayer insulating layer 40 is formed between the gate electrode 31 and the first electrode 32, and source/drain electrodes 51, 52 and a second electrode 53. Then a passivation layer 60 is formed.

A pixel electrode 70 is formed as an anode electrode on the passivation layer 60, which is connected to one of the source/drain electrodes 51 and 52, for example, to the drain electrode 52 through the via hole 61, and a planarizing layer 80 having an opening 81 for exposing some portion of the pixel electrode 70 may be formed on the passivation layer 60 including the pixel electrode 70.

An organic light-emitting layer 90 may be formed on the opening 81, and a cathode electrode 95 may be formed on the organic light-emitting layer 90.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the organic EL device comprises a plurality of signal lines, namely, a gate line 35 for applying a scanning signal, a data line 55 for applying a data signal, is and a common power supply line Vdd (54) for applying a common voltage Vdd to all pixels to provide a reference voltage necessary for driving the driving thin film transistor.

Pixels may be arranged per pixel region defined by these signal lines 35, 54, and 55, wherein each pixel may be comprised of a plurality of thin film transistors connected to those signal lines, one capacitor, and an organic EL device.

In the conventional organic EL device, the gate line 35 and the first electrode 32 of the capacitor may be formed when the gate electrode 31 may be formed, and the data line 55, the power supply line 54, and a second electrode 53 of the capacitor may be formed when the source/drain electrodes 51 and 52 may be formed. In this case, the second electrode 53 of the capacitor and one of the source/drain electrodes have structures extended from the common power supply line 54. In other words, the common power supply line may be concurrently formed while the source/drain electrodes are formed.

The common power supply line 54 in the light emitting region 100 may also be stacked in the same manner as the non-light emitting region 200 of the periphery of the panel, which causes the panel size to be increased due to wiring width of the line.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a flat panel display having a wiring structure of a power supply line capable of maintaining wiring resistance of the conventional structure while reducing the width of the power supply line. Note that, as used herein, the term “curved” does not require a smooth transition, but is rather to be viewed in contrast to shapes that are substantially straight for long distances. For example, layer 54 is straight in FIG. 1B and curved in FIG. 4B, although that particular curvature is just one example.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there may be provided a flat panel display device, which may include a light-emitting layer portion having a first electrode, a second electrode, and an organic light-emitting layer between the first and second electrodes; at least two thin film transistors for controlling the light-emitting layer portion; a scanning signal line for supplying a scanning signal to the thin film transistor; a data signal line for supplying a data signal to the thin film transistor; a light emitting region having a common power supply line for supplying current to the light-emitting layer portion; and a peripheral common power supply line connected to the common power supply line and having at least one curved portion on a non-light emitting region except the light emitting region.

In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there may be provided a flat panel display device, which may include an insulating substrate; a buffer layer formed on the entire surface of the insulating substrate; a gate insulating layer formed above the buffer layer; an interlayer insulating layer formed above the gate insulating layer and patterned to be curved; and a common power supply line formed above the interlayer insulating layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features of the present invention will be described in reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1A is a schematic plan view of a light emitting region and a non-light emitting region of a conventional organic electroluminescent (EL) device.

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I of FIG. 1A for showing a stacked structure of a common power supply line of the conventional organic EL device;

FIG. 2A is a plan view for showing a plan structure of the light emitting region of is the organic EL device of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a light emitting region and a non-light emitting region of an organic EL device in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I′-I′ of FIG. 3 for showing a stacked structure of a common power supply line of a flat panel display device in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I′-I′ of FIG. 3 for showing a stacked structure of a common power supply line of a flat panel display device in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 2A for showing a stacked structure of a flat panel display device in accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along the II-II line for showing a stacked structure of a flat panel display device in accordance with a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the thickness of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the specification.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a light emitting region and a non-light emitting region of an organic EL device in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I′-I′ of FIG. 3 for showing a stacked structure of a common power supply line of a flat panel display in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the organic EL device in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a buffer layer 15 formed on the entire surface of a substrate 10, which may be commonly used for a light emitting region 100 and a non-light emitting region 200. A semiconductor layer may then be formed using polycrystalline silicone in the light emitting region 100, and a gate insulating layer 30 may be formed on the entire surface of the substrate.

Next, a gate electrode may be formed above the semiconductor layer of the light emitting region 100 on the gate insulating layer, and an interlayer insulating layer 40 may be formed on the entire surface of the substrate including the gate electrode. The interlayer insulating layer 40 of the light emitting region 100 may be etched to form first and second contact holes for exposing source/drain regions, respectively, and the interlayer insulating layer 40 in which a common power supply line 54 may be formed in the non-light emitting region 200 may be concurrently patterned to be curved by etching in a longitudinal direction (namely, y axis of FIG. 3) as shown in FIG. 4A.

In this case, the interlayer insulating layer 40 of the non-light emitting region 200 acts to reduce the wiring width while enabling the common power supply line to maintain a typical wiring resistance, and there should preferably be at least one such curved portion. The curved portion may be preferably uneven, and a distance (b) between curved portions should preferably preferably be at least two times a stacked thickness (a) of the common power supply line.

After the interlayer insulating layer 40 may be patterned, a metal electrode material may be deposited and patterned on the entire surface of the substrate to thereby form source/drain electrodes to be contacted with the source/drain regions through the first and second contact holes in the thin film transistor of the light emitting region 100, respectively, and the common power supply line 54 extended from one of the source/drain electrodes in the non-light emitting region.

In the present embodiment, etching for the interlayer insulating layer 40 of the non-light emitting region 200 where the common power supply line 54 will be formed may be progressed with an etching process for forming the contact holes at the same time, which does not require a mask process and the common power supply line may be formed to have constant curved portions, and when the same wiring resistance may be maintained as unit area through which current flows increases, the wiring width may be reduced compared to that of a conventional wiring structure to thereby reduce the total panel size.

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I′-I′ of FIG. 3 for showing a stacked structure of a common power supply line of a flat panel display in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the same method as the first exemplary embodiment may be performed from its start to the process for forming the gate insulating layer.

A gate metal material may also be deposited on a region where the common power supply line 54 of the non-light emitting region 200 will be formed when the gate electrode of the light emitting region 100 is formed. The gate electrode material may be patterned in the light-emitting region 100 to form the gate electrode and the gate electrode material may remain in the non-light emitting region 200.

Next, an interlayer insulating layer 40 may be formed on the entire surface of the substrate on the gate insulating layer 30. The interlayer insulating layer 54 of the light emitting region 100 may be etched to form first and second contact holes for exposing source/drain regions, respectively while the interlayer insulating layer where the common power supply line will be formed in the non-light emitting region 200 may be concurrently patterned to be curved by etching in a longitudinal direction (namely, y axis direction of FIG. 3) as shown in FIG. 4B.

In this case, the interlayer insulating layer 54 of the non-light emitting region 200 acts to reduce a wiring width while allowing the common power supply line to maintain a typical wiring resistance, and at least one such curved portion should preferably be present. The curved portion may be preferably uneven, and a distance (b) between curved portions should preferably be at least two times a stacked thickness (a) of the common power supply line.

After the interlayer insulating layer 54 may be patterned, a metal electrode material may be deposited and patterned on the entire surface of the substrate to thereby form source/drain electrodes to be contacted with the source/drain regions through the first and second contact holes in the thin film transistor of the A region, respectively, and the common power supply line 54 extended from one of the source/drain electrodes in the non-light emitting region 200 at the same time. In this case, the lower curved portion of the common power supply line 54 in the non-light emitting region 200 may be contacted with a gate metal material, namely, an auxiliary common power supply line 33.

As a result, in accordance with the common power supply line 54 of the non-light emitting region in the second exemplary embodiment, metal wiring has a double-wiring structure to thereby increase the width through which current may flow, which leads to the reduction of the width of the metal wiring compared to that of a conventional common power supply line when the same wiring resistance may be maintained.

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 2A for showing a stacked structure of a flat panel display device in accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5A, an insulating substrate 10 including A region where a pixel electrode and a thin film transistor are formed, B region where a common power supply line may be arranged, and C region where a capacitor is formed may be prepared. A buffer layer 15 may be formed on the insulating substrate 10.

A semiconductor layer 20 may then be formed on a portion where the thin film transistor will be formed in the A region, and a gate insulating layer 30 is formed on the entire surface of the substrate including the semiconductor layer 20. A gate electrode 31 may then be formed on the gate insulating layer 30 above the semiconductor layer of the A region, and a first electrode 32 of the capacitor may be formed on the gate insulating layer where the capacitor of the C region will be formed. One of n type and p type impurities, for example, p type impurities may be implanted into the semiconductor layer 20 to form source/drain regions 21 and 22, and a lower portion of the gate electrode 31 above the semiconductor layer 20 acts as a channel layer.

An interlayer insulating layer 40 may be formed on the entire surface of the substrate on the gate insulating layer 30 where the gate electrode 31 and the first electrode 32 of the capacitor may be already formed. The interlayer insulating layer 40 of the A region may be etched to form first and second contact holes 36 and 37 for exposing the source/drain regions 21 and 22, respectively, and the interlayer insulating layer of the B region where the common power supply line will be formed may be concurrently patterned to be curved by etching in a longitudinal direction (namely, y axis of FIG. 2A) as shown in FIG. 5A.

In this case, the interlayer insulating layer of the B region acts to reduce a wiring width while allowing the common power supply line to maintain a typical wiring resistance, and at least one such curved portion should preferably be present. The curved portion may be preferably uneven, and a distance (b) between curved portions should preferably be at least two times a stacked thickness (a) of the common power supply line.

After the interlayer insulating layer may be patterned, a metal electrode material may be deposited and patterned on the entire surface of the substrate to thereby form source/drain electrodes 41 and 42 to be contacted with the source/drain regions 21 and 22 through the first and second contact holes 36 and 37 in the thin film transistor of the A region, respectively, and a common power supply line extended from one of the source/drain electrodes 41 and 42 above the B region at the same time. In the meantime, one of the source/drain electrodes 41 and 42 may be extended to form a second electrode 43 of the capacitor in the C region.

A driving thin film transistor of a pixel region of the flat panel display device in accordance with the present invention, may be supplied with power when one of the source/drain electrodes and the second electrode of the capacitor is connected to the common power supply line.

In the present embodiment, etching for the interlayer insulating layer of the B region where the common power supply line will be formed may be progressed with an etching process for forming the contact holes at the same time, which does not require a mask process and the power supply line may be formed to have constant curved portions, and when the same wiring resistance may be maintained as unit area through which current flows increases, the wiring width may be reduced compared to that of a conventional wiring structure to thereby reduce the total panel size.

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along the II-II line for showing a stacked structure of a flat panel display device in accordance with a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the same method as the third exemplary embodiment may be performed from its start to the process for forming the gate insulating layer in the fourth exemplary embodiment.

A gate metal material may also be deposited on a region where the common power supply line of the B region will be formed when the gate electrode 31 may be formed. The gate electrode material may be patterned to form the gate electrode 31 and a first electrode of the capacitor, and the gate electrode material may remain on the B region.

One of n type and p type impurities, for example, p type impurities may then be implanted into the semiconductor layer 20 to form source/drain regions 21 and 22, and a lower portion of the gate electrode 31 above the semiconductor layer 20 acts as a channel layer.

An interlayer insulating layer 40 may be formed on the entire surface of the substrate on the gate insulating layer 30 where the gate electrode 31 and the first electrode 32 of the capacitor may be already formed. The interlayer insulating layer 40 of the A region may be etched to form first and second contact holes 36 and 37 for exposing the source/drain regions 21 and 22, respectively, and the interlayer insulating layer of the B region where the common power supply line will be formed may be concurrently patterned to be curved by etching in a longitudinal direction (namely, y axis of FIG. 2A) as shown in FIG. 3B.

In this case, the interlayer insulating layer of the B region acts to reduce a wiring width while allowing the common power supply line to maintain a typical wiring resistance, and at least one such curved portion should preferably be present. The curved portion may be preferably uneven, and a distance (b) between curved portions should preferably be at least two times a stacked thickness (a) of the common power supply line.

After the interlayer insulating layer may be patterned, a metal electrode material may be deposited and patterned on the entire surface of the substrate to thereby form source/drain electrodes 41 and 42 to be contacted with source/drain regions 21 and 22 through the first and second contact holes 36 and 37 in the thin film transistor of the A region, respectively, and a common power supply line extended from one of the source/drain electrodes 41 and 42 above the B region at the same time. In the meantime, one of the source/drain electrodes 41 and 42 may be extended to form a second electrode 43 of the capacitor in the C region. In this case, the lower curved portion of the common power supply line in the B region may be contacted with a gate metal material, namely an auxiliary common power supply line 33.

As a result, in accordance with the common power supply line of the B region in the fourth exemplary embodiment, metal wiring becomes a double-wiring structure to thereby increase the width through which current may flow, which leads to the reduction of the width of metal wiring compared to that of a conventional common power supply line when the same wiring resistance may be maintained.

In the meantime, it has been described that the common power supply line 54 of the light emitting region 100 and the common power supply line 54 of the non-light emitting region 200 are separately shaped to be curved in the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, however, the common power supply line 54 of the light emitting region 100 and the common power supply line 54 of the non-light emitting region 200 may be formed to be curved at the same time.

The flat panel display device employed in the present invention may include, but not limited to, an organic light emitting diode or a liquid crystal display device.

As mentioned above, the common power supply line may be formed to have its wiring structure curved or to have a double-wiring structure of the common power supply line, which allows the wiring width to be reduced when the same wiring resistance may be maintained, and also allows IR drop due to the wiring resistance to be minimized. In addition, the wiring width may be reduced to thereby reduce the total panel size of the flat panel display device embodiment, it is understood that the disclosure has been made for purpose of illustrating the invention by way of examples and is not limited to limit the scope of the invention. And one skilled in the art can make amend and change the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 

1. A flat panel display device comprising: a light-emitting portion having a first electrode, a second electrode, and an organic light-emitting layer between the first and second electrodes; at least two thin film transistors for controlling the light-emitting layer portion; a scanning signal line for supplying a scanning signal to each of the at least two thin film transistors; a data signal line for supplying a data signal to each of the at least two thin film transistors; a light emitting region having a common power supply line for supplying current to the light-emitting portion; and a peripheral common power supply line connected to the common power supply line and having at least one non-flat portion on a non-light emitting region except the light emitting region.
 2. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-flat portion is uneven.
 3. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the peripheral common power supply line has an auxiliary common power supply line therebelow to allow the common power supply line and the auxiliary common power supply line to be directly contacted each other.
 4. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the auxiliary common power supply line is formed of the same material as a gate electrode of at least one of the at least two thin film transistors.
 5. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the auxiliary common power supply line is formed in the same process as a gate electrode of at least one of the at least two thin film transistors.
 6. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a width between non-flat portions is at least two times a stacked thickness of the common power supply line.
 7. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the non-flat portion is formed in a longitudinal direction of the common power supply line.
 8. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flat panel display device is a device selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display device (LCD), an organic light emitting device (OLED), and a hybrid of LCD and OLED.
 9. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the common power supply line of the light emitting region has at least one non-flat portion.
 10. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the non-flat portion is uneven.
 11. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 9, further comprising an auxiliary common power supply line below the peripheral common power supply line has an auxiliary common power supply line; the auxiliary common power supply line permitting direct contact between itself and the common power supply line.
 12. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the auxiliary common power supply line is formed below the common power supply line of the light emitting region; the arrangement permitting direct contact between the common power supply line and the auxiliary common power supply line.
 13. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the auxiliary common power supply line is formed of the same material as a gate electrode of at least one of the at least two thin film transistors.
 14. A flat panel display device, comprising: a substrate; a buffer layer formed on an entire surface of the substrate; a gate insulating layer formed above the buffer layer; an interlayer insulating layer formed above the gate insulating layer and patterned to be non-flat; and a common power supply line formed above the non-flat interlayer insulating layer and connected to a thin film transistor.
 15. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the non-flat portion is uneven.
 16. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: an auxiliary common power supply line below the interlayer insulating layer and above the gate insulating layer, wherein the auxiliary common power supply line and a lower non-flat potion of the common power supply line contact each other.
 17. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the auxiliary common power supply line is formed of the same material as a gate electrode of the thin film transistor.
 18. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the auxiliary common power supply line is formed in the same process as a gate electrode of the thin film transistor.
 19. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 14, wherein a width between non-flat portions is at least two times a stacked thickness of the common power supply line.
 20. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the non-flat portion is formed in a longitudinal direction of the common power supply line.
 21. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the flat panel display device is a device selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display device (LCD), an organic light emitting device (OLED), and a hybrid of LCD and OLED.
 22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the non-flat portion comprises a curved portion.
 23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the non-flat portion comprises a curved portion. 